Jakarta – Former president Joko "Jokowi" Widodo gave his approval on Tuesday of the meeting between President Prabowo Subianto and Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, saying that the get-together could yield positive outcomes for the country.
Speaking after welcoming Golkar Party chairman Bahlil Lahadalia at his private residence in Surakarta on Tuesday night, Jokowi said that a meeting between Prabowo and Megawati could lead to peace in the country's politics.
"The meeting between Pak Prabowo and Bu Mega is good, for the good of the country. A meeting is always better than no meeting," Jokowi said, as quoted by Antara news.
President Prabowo held a closed-door meeting with Megawati on Monday night, an encounter that was scheduled even before last year's presidential election.
Ties between Prabowo and Megawati became strained after then president Jokowi backed the candidacy of the former military general in last year's presidential election against the PDI-P's politician and former Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo.
A senior politician of President Prabowo's Gerindra Party, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, said that the meeting between the President and Megawati lasted one and a half hours, during which the two discussed a wide range of topics.
The meeting took place at Megawati's private residence in Menteng, Central Jakarta.
Responding to the meeting, Golkar Party chairman Bahlil said that it showed that President Prabowo gives equal treatment to all living former presidents.
"We appreciate what Pak Prabowo has done not only for Bu Megawati, but also Pak Jokowi and Pak SBY," Bahlil said, referring to former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.